Apparatus and method for searching for place name according to individual moving pattern

Abstract

An apparatus and method for searching for a place name according to an individual moving pattern is disclosed, whereby a user can search for a place name corresponding to a place where the user has visited. The apparatus for searching for a place name according to an individual moving pattern includes a position detecting module for detecting a user's position, a position attribute determining module for determining an attribute of the measured position, a place name search module for searching for the place name corresponding to the measured position in accordance with the determined attribute, and a place name output module for outputting the searched place name to a user.

1 . An apparatus to search for a place name according to an individual moving pattern comprising: 
 a position detecting module to detect a user's position;    a position attribute determining module to determine an attribute of the detected position;    a place name search module to search for the place name corresponding to the measured position in accordance with the determined attribute; and    a place name output module to output the searched place name to a user.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the position determining module determines the attribute as a first attribute if the user has visited a predetermined position the number of reference times or greater, and determines the attribute as a second attribute if not.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first memory to store information on the number of visits of the user to the predetermined position; and    a second memory to store information on the place name corresponding to the predetermined position.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a user designating module to allow the user to designate the place name corresponding to the predetermined position.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the place name search module determines details of searching for the place name corresponding to the detected position in accordance with the determined attribute.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the place name search module searches an administrative district as the place name if the positions determined as the first and second attributes are included in the same administrative district and the place name of the position determined as the second attribute is searched for.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the place name search module updates the place name stored in the second memory as the designated place name if the user designates a place name corresponding to a predetermined position.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the place name search module sets the place name designated by the user as a first priority when searching for the place name corresponding to the measured position.  
   
   
       9 . A method to search for a place name according to an individual moving pattern comprising: 
 detecting a user's position;    determining an attribute of the detected position;    searching for a place name corresponding to the detected position in accordance with the determined attribute; and    outputting the searched place name to the user.    
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the determining an attribute of the detected position comprises: 
 determining the attribute as a first attribute if the user has visited a predetermined position the number of reference times or greater, and determining the attribute as a second attribute if not.    
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 storing the place name corresponding to the predetermined position;    storing the number of visits of the user to the predetermined position; and    allowing the user to designate the place name corresponding to the predetermined position.    
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the determining the place name comprises: 
 determining details for searching for the place name corresponding to the measured position in accordance with the determined attribute.    
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the searching for the place name comprises: 
 searching an administrative district as the place name if the positions determined as the first and second attributes are included in the same administrative district and the place name of the position determined as the second attribute is searched for.    
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 updating the stored place name as a designated place name if the user designates the place name corresponding to a predetermined position.    
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein searching for the place name comprises: 
 searching for the place name designated by the user as a first priority when the place name corresponding to the measured position is searched.    
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the searched place name is outputted different forms according to the determined attribute of the detected position.